Saturday, November 6, 2010

My first cake pops!

Happy Halloween!

Don't laugh, ok? This was my very first attempt at cake pops! As far as a first try goes, I think they turned out ok- but overall, they're kind of gimpy. But I definitely want to try some other things in the future.

If you don't know what a cake pop is, it's kind of like a chocolate dipped truffle. But not really. They're just tastey and cute, alright? Here's how to make your own!

Bake a 9x13 cake, using either your own recipe or a box mix. Personally, I just used a box mix, because it really doesn't matter and nobody is going to judge you for using a mix. It's just way easier. Do it. Let the cake cool completely. Then, put it in a bowl and mix the cake with a bit less than a can of frosting (or the homemade-equivalent). I tried a chocolate cake doing half of it was cream cheese frosting and half of it with chocolate fudge frosting. The cream cheese was sweeter, and the chocolate one was richer. So it depends on your taste. I'd like to try it again with red velvet and a cream cheese frosting that isn't quite so sweet. Anyway, mix it together with the back of a wooden spoon. It should end up being easy to mold- not crumbly and not gooey.

Next, mold the cake into whatever shape you want.

Melt your chocolate in either the microwave or a double boiler. Don't overheat it, and DON'T let any water get into it or it will separate and not work!

Put a little bit of chocolate on the end of a lollopop stick (I got mine at Michaels) and then stick it in the cake ball a little more than halfway. Then put them in the fridge for a few minutes to firm up.

If you're going to colour your chocolate, make sure you use gel colouring. It will keep the chocolate from getting thin, and you'll be able to get the desired colour way easier. They're also great for frostings, and the only way to do fondant! I highly recommend them.

Dip your cake balls, let them harden, and decorate as you please! You might have to play around a bit to get it the best consistency. If it's too hot it will melt the cake ball and it will just fall off the stick, and if it's too cold it won't cover very well and/or make the ball fall off. I also recommend getting a sheet of styrofoam to stick your dipped cake balls in so that they don't pool!

Pay no attention to the candy corn ones. Those didn't go so well, haha.

Anyway, that's all there is to it! If you want some great ideas for your own, check out bakerella.com!